Ingredients

1/2 red onion, thinly sliced

1 cup red wine vinegar

1 Florida avocado or 2 Hass avocados (about 1 pound total), sliced

1 tablespoon highest-quality extra-virgin olive oil

Salt and black pepper

Preparation

Marinate the onion
Place the onion slices and vinegar in a resealable plastic bag, press out as much air as possible, and close the bag. Alternatively, place the onion and vinegar in a small bowl and put a piece of plastic wrap directly on the surface of the ingredients so that the onion slices remain submerged in the vinegar. Allow the onion to marinate for at least 30 minutes.

Assemble the salad and serve
Reserve a few tablespoons of the vinegar used to marinate the onion before draining the onion slices and setting aside. Place the avocado slices on a serving platter and top with the red onion slices. Drizzle the oil and reserved red wine vinegar over the salad and season with salt and pepper to taste.

Cooking notes

IngredientsFlorida versus Hass avocados
Cubans tend to use Florida avocados since these are more widely available in the Caribbean and in Miami. They are larger than the California or Hass variety, and they remain green when ripe, in contrast to Hass, which are dark green, almost black, when ripe.

Florida avocados have a milder flavor due to their higher water content, and they are ready to eat as soon as they yield to pressure when squeezed lightly.

TechniquesMarinating onions
Allowing raw onions to marinate in vinegar or another highly acidic liquid mellows out the strong flavor and softens its texture.

Slicing an avocado
Start by slicing the avocado in half lengthwise with a large knife and, once you hit the seed in the center, move your knife along its perimeter. Open the avocado by gently twisting and pulling on each half.

Remove the seed by tapping it with the sharp edge of your knife, causing the knife to become wedged into the seed. Twist the knife a bit to dislodge the seed from the flesh.

Finally, slice the avocado by taking the tip of your knife and drawing straight lines through the flesh of each avocado half, making sure the tip of the knife reaches the skin of the avocado. The closer the lines, the thinner the slices. Use a spoon to scoop out the sliced avocado.

Advance preparation
The onions can be left marinating up to a few days in advance. However, while the oil and vinegar help slow down the browning of the avocado's flesh, it's best to slice the avocado shortly before serving.

A Miami native, Lourdes Castro has served as a personal chef and nutritionist for high-profile clients, such as Cristina Saralegui and professional athletes, and as an associate of the James Beard Foundation. A highly regarded Latin chef and cooking teacher, Castro is the author of Simply Mexican and Eat, Drink, Think in Spanish. She currently teaches food science at New York University and is the director of the Culinary Academy at the Biltmore Hotel in Coral Gables, Florida. Find out more at Lourdescastro.com

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Recent Review

Made this for the 4th with the rest of the "latin grilling" menu. This dish exceeded my expectations. I love avocados and so I was concerned about adding ingredients to already perfect avocados. (I also recommend Haas because of their rich and cream flavor.) The dish was delicious and perfect with the rest of that meal.